Inviting Users to Participate in a Venture Exchange

ABSTRACT

A computer-implemented method for inviting members of a venture exchange to participate in a wager. The method includes receiving a wager placed by a first user; parsing the wager to determine wager characteristics associated with the wager; determining, using a processor, friends of the first user that have an affinity for the wager based on the wager characteristics; causing an interface to be displayed to the first user, where the friends of the first user are organized by a relative affinity for the wager; receiving a selection by the first user of friends to invite to participate in the wager; and transmitting a wager invitation to each friend selected by the first user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/543,149, filed on Aug. 18, 2009, which claims benefit ofU.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/089,811 filed on Aug.18, 2008. Each of these applications is hereby incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to computer-implementedventure exchanges, and more particularly, to systems, computer-readablemedia, and methods for inviting users to participate in a ventureexchange.

2. Description of Related Art

Conventional betting exchanges are computer networked processes thatprovide virtual trading places at which individuals invest (e.g., bet)on outcomes that they predict are likely to occur. Typically, anoperator of a betting exchange—or bookmaker—determines the outcomes (orat least influences the details of bets), and mediates the resolution ofthe bets among many individuals. Bets available in the betting exchangesare usually open to large numbers of individuals, most of whom do notknow the identities of the other individuals.

Conventional betting exchanges generally offer a large number ofdifferent bets, as well as many different types of bets. Typically,traditional betting exchanges present bets to the betting communityat-large. Usually, the presentation of numerous bets can obfuscate otherbets, thereby further increasing the quantities of bets that anindividual needs to search. This can lead to inefficiencies as some betsthat cannot be easily found may remain “unmatched.” An unmatched bet isa bet that has yet to found and matched by another individual. Unmatchedbets tie up individuals' wagers for an extended amount of time, therebydecreasing enthusiasm for betting, as well as the rate which bets areprocessed (which, in turn, reduces liquidity). Further, many typicalbetting exchanges do not provide a vehicle to sufficiently facilitatecamaraderie and cohesiveness among individuals who prefer certain betsand/or know each other. This in turn can also dampen participation thatmight otherwise be present when individuals bet competitively with otherknown individuals.

It would be desirable to provide improved techniques that minimize oneor more of the drawbacks associated with conventional techniques forfacilitating the exchange of bets.

SUMMARY

One embodiment of the invention provides a computer-implemented methodfor inviting members of a venture exchange to participate in a wager.The method includes receiving a wager placed by a first user; parsingthe wager to determine wager characteristics associated with the wager;determining, using a processor, friends of the first user that have anaffinity for the wager based on the wager characteristics; causing aninterface to be displayed to the first user, where the friends of thefirst user are organized by a relative affinity for the wager; receivinga selection by the first user of friends to invite to participate in thewager; and transmitting a wager invitation to each friend selected bythe first user.

Advantageously, embodiments of the invention allow a user to quickly andeasily select which users to invite to participate in the wager.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention and its various embodiments are more fully appreciated inconnection with the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a venture exchange system including a recommendationgenerator, according to various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a venture affinity predictor, according to variousembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a presentation engine, according to variousembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a recommendation engine, according tovarious embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram depicting an interface providing a venturerecommendation panel, according to at least one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting an interface providing search/selectionresults using a recommendation generator, according to at least oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram depicting an interface providing other outcomesusing a recommendation generator, according to at least one embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 8A is a diagram depicting an interface providing selections togenerate a customized event, according to at least one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 8B is a diagram depicting an example of a flow to create a bet,according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram depicting an interface providing sub-poolparticipant information, according to at least one embodiment of theinvention

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate examples of a panel presentationapplication for implementing a panel that includes venturerecommendations, according to various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary computer system suitable forimplementing an interactive panel for an interface to provide venturerecommendations, according to at least one embodiment of the invention;and

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a panel presentation system forrecommending ventures, according to various embodiments of theinvention,

FIG. 13 illustrates a system 1300 for inviting friends to a bet,according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of method steps for inviting friends to awager, according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings. Note that most of the reference numeralsinclude one or two left-most digits that generally identify the figurethat first introduces that reference number.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments or examples of the invention may be implemented innumerous ways, including as a system, a process, an apparatus, or aseries of program instructions on a computer-readable medium such as acomputer-readable storage medium or a computer network where the programinstructions are sent over optical, electronic, or wirelesscommunication links. In general, operations of disclosed processes maybe performed in an arbitrary order, unless otherwise provided in theclaims.

A detailed description of one or more examples is provided below alongwith accompanying figures. The detailed description is provided inconnection with such examples, but is not limited to any particularexample. The scope is limited only by the claims, and numerousalternatives, modifications, and equivalents are encompassed. Numerousspecific details are set forth in the following description in order toprovide a thorough understanding. These details are provided as examplesand the described techniques may be practiced according to the claimswithout some or all of the accompanying details. For clarity, technicalmaterial that is known in the technical fields related to the exampleshas not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring thedescription.

FIG. 1 illustrates a venture exchange system 100 including arecommendation generator 150, according to various embodiments of theinvention. In the example shown in FIG. 1, recommendation generator 150is configured to interact with a pool of participants 102 to gatherinformation associated with pool of participants 102 and to generaterecommendations for a user 103 as a function of the gatheredinformation. In particular, recommendation generator 150 can beconfigured to determine ventures (e.g., bets) for which user 103 has anaffinity, and to present those ventures as recommendations to user 103.In at least some embodiments, recommendation generator 150 can generaterecommendations based on group attributes 114 (e.g., venture orbet-related information associated with sub-pool of participants 104),as well as global attributes 115 (e.g., venture or bet-relatedinformation associated with pool of participants 102) and user-specificattributes 128 (e.g., venture or bet-related information associated withuser 103). User 103 can be associated with a sub-pool 104, which is asubset of the pool of participants 102, whereby information aboutcertain ventures is shared via recommendation generator 150 among user103 and sub-pool participants 105 (e.g., friends of user 103).

As shown, user 103 can use an interface 108 to interact withrecommendation generator 150, whereas sub-pool participants 105 can useinterfaces 113 to interact with the recommendation generator 150. Asused herein, the term “venture” can refer, at least in some embodiments,to an event having multiple unknown outcomes from which a participant(e.g., user 103) selects a particular outcome to occur along with aninvestment of some unit of value. In some examples, the term “venture”can be used interchangeably with the terms “bet” or “wager.” As usedherein, the term “units of value” can refer, at least in someembodiments, to represent an amount of investment or risk expressed inmonetary forms or in non-monetary forms, such as tokens or points.

In at least some embodiments, recommendation generator 150 can includeeither a venture affinity predictor 152 or a presentation engine 154, orboth. Venture affinity predictor 152 can be configured to determineventures for which user 103 has an affinity based on information fromany number of sources. Examples of sources of such information includepool of participants 102, sub-pool participants 105, and user 103.Venture affinity predictor 152 can receive data representing globalattributes 115 (as information from pool of participants 102) togenerate recommendations expressed in terms, for example, of aggregatedattributes of the participants. Thus, venture affinity predictor 152 canuse global attributes 115 for predicting ventures that, for example,might appeal to a predominant number of participants in pool ofparticipants 102. In some cases, venture affinity predictor 152 usesglobal attributes 115 to generate venture recommendations when othersources of information are limited (e.g., when user 103 is not logged inor a registered member of venture exchange system 100). Venture affinitypredictor 152 can also receive data representing group attributes 114,which can describe the characteristics for the ventures in which one ormore of sub-pool participants 105 participate.

Further, in some embodiments, venture affinity predictor 152 can receivedata representing user-specific attributes 128, which may describecharacteristics of user 103. User-specific attributes 128 can be derivedfrom one or more views 120 (or sessions) of interface 108. For example,user-specific attributes 128 can be provided via view 120 a, which caninclude an electronic form into which user 103 inputs user-specificinformation, such as name, gender, age, residence, etc. As anotherexample, user-specific attributes 128 can be provided responsive to theinteraction of user 103 with one or more views 120 a to 120 c. Forexample, user-specific attributes 128 can include information indicatingrecommended bets that were presented to user 103, but were not selected.Thus, venture affinity predictor 152 can predict that other bets havingsimilar attributes as the unselected recommended ventures likely willnot be selected, too. Therefore, those types of ventures can berecommended less or not at all, at least with respect to user 103. Inoperation, venture affinity predictor 152 can use group attributes 114,global attributes 115, and user-specific attributes 128, or anycombination thereof, to generate venture recommendations for which user103 likely will have an affinity. Recommendation generator 150 canprovide the venture recommendations (e.g., as data representinguser-specific venture recommendations 126) to a portion (“P2”) 110 ofinterface 108.

In at least some embodiments, presentation engine 154 can be configuredto optimize the presentation of the venture recommendations in a mannerthat user 103 can readily detect ventures in which user 103 isinterested. For example, presentation engine 154 can be configured toorder venture recommendations for presentation at portion 110 ofinterface 108 as a function of group attributes 114, global attributes115, and/or user-specific attributes 128. In at least one embodiment,recommendation generator 150 can include a venture creation unit 156,which can be configured to create a customized venture responsive toventure creation factors 122 input into a portion (“P3”) 112 ofinterface 108. Examples of venture creation factors 122 includeidentifiers (e.g., names) of sub-pool participants 105 and indicationswhether to limit access to a venture to only sub-pool participants 105,thereby making it private and inaccessible to others in pool ofparticipants 102. Further, recommendation generator 150 can beconfigured to access group attributes 114, filter those attributes, andstream data representing friend ventures 124 to a portion (“P1”) 109 ofinterface 108. The streaming attributes can be displayed on portion 109of interface 108 to report bet-related activities as a betting activityticker or feed. In some instances, a betting activity ticker or feed canbe implemented similar to a news feed-like format. Thus, user 103 canobserve ventures in which friends of the user are participating, and canalso participate in friend-created ventures, among other bettingnews-related information or things.

In view of the foregoing, the structures and/functionalities ofrecommendation generator 150 can provide recommendations that user 103prefers, and can present the recommendations in a manner thatfacilitates expeditious searching to locate suitable ventures in whichto participate. The recommendations can be a function of groupattributes 114, thereby providing user 103 with recommended ventures asa function of the ventures in which friends 105 participate. The friendscan presumably be trustworthy sources of information for predictingventures that might also interest user 103. Additionally, recommendationgenerator 150 can tune the ventures that are recommended by monitoringwhich presented recommendations are ignored by user 103. Further,recommendation generator 150 can use global attributes 115 to presentventure recommendations as a function of the aggregate behaviors and/orselections of pool of participants 102, rather than relying on, forexample, keyword-related recommendations. Thus, recommendation generator150 can reduce the search cost for user 103 to find ventures (e.g.,bets) that they would be interested in. Any number of views 120 (e.g.,as served web pages) can be used to continuously collect and processdata.

In still further embodiments, the recommendation generator 150 can beused in conjunction with an invitation engine such that after the user103 places a wager, the user 103 may invite other users (e.g., friends)to participate in the bet. For example, a friend picker may be providedthrough which the user 103 can select which other users to invite toparticipate in the bet. In some embodiments, the recommendationgenerator 150 may organize the friends of the user 103 so that the usersthat are most likely to want to participate in the bet are placed first,e.g., near the top of the friend picker. Additional details of theinvitation engine are described below in FIGS. 13-14.

In various embodiments, any of the described elements in FIG. 1 can beimplemented in hardware or software, or any combination thereof,regardless of whether the elements are distributed throughout a networkor reside on a server machine (or in a contiguous computer-readablemedium). In at least some embodiments, recommendation generator 150 cangenerate recommendations based on more or fewer attributes that groupattributes 114, global attributes 115, and user-specific attributes 128.For example, the venture exchange system 100 may be implemented as awebsite to which users navigate using a web browser on a personalcomputer (PC) or laptop. In other embodiments, the web-site basedventure exchange system 100 may be navigated using a mobile browser on amobile phone. In still further embodiments, the venture exchange system100 may be implemented as a software application that is installed on auser's computer or phone. For example, the software application may beprovided on a disc or downloaded as a computer program over the internetand installed on the user's computer. In still further embodiments, theventure exchange system 100 may be implemented as a combination of awebsite and software application. In yet further embodiments, theventure exchange system 100 may be implemented via a standalone deviceor kiosk. For example, a kiosk may be provided that is connected to theinternet and allows users to participate in the venture exchange via aninterface. For example, the interface may be a keyboard and mouseinterface, a touch screen interface, or any other technically feasibleinterface. In some embodiments, the kiosk may be located at a horse racetrack, auto race track, athletic stadium, off-track betting (OTB)facility, convenient store, an outdoor location, such as a sidewalk, atransit terminal, an airport, or any location. In some embodiments, thekiosk is connected to the internet with a wired LAN/WAN connection, awireless Internet connection, a mobile phone network, a satelliteconnection, or any technically feasible type of connection.

FIG. 2 illustrates a venture affinity predictor 220, according tovarious embodiments of the invention. In diagram 200, venture affinitypredictor 220 is shown to include a data collection engine 230, a usermodel generator 222, and a prediction engine 224, and is further shownto interact with one or more data repositories, such as datarepositories 240 to 249. Data collection engine 230 can be configured togather data from various sources for use by user model generator 222 togenerate a user model that can describe the likes and dislikes of auser, among other things. As shown, data collection engine 230 caninclude a search analyzer 232, a sub-pool venture analyzer 234, a useractivity tracker 236, and an attribute manager 238.

Search analyzer 232 can be configured to receive search criteria 204 inconnection with a search by a user to find ventures in which the userseeks to participate, in at least some embodiments. Search analyzer 232can analyze and decompose, for example, a string of text to determine asubset of words that can be used to identify likes and dislikes of theuser. The subset of words (and an optional association to the user) canbe stored in a repository 242 as user-specific attributes. For example,the subsets of words can include the word “baseball,” therebyassociating that word with the user. Venture affinity predictor 220 thencan subsequently present venture recommendations associated with theterm “baseball.”

Sub-pool venture analyzer 234 can be configured to receivefriend-related data 206 (e.g., as group attributes) in connection withventures in which the user's friends are participating, in at least someembodiments. Sub-pool venture analyzer 234 can analyze the ventures thatthe user's friends are participating in, and can extract informationthat can be useful to predict whether a user prefers one or more betsover other bets. Sub-pool venture analyzer 234 can store friend-relateddata 206 in sub-pool database (“DB”) 240. Examples of friend-relateddata 206 can include: an amount of friends of the user that haveparticipated in a venture/bet, the amounts wagered as a function of oneor more friends, activity levels of any friend (e.g., adding or removingunits of value for a bet), a list of bets that any friend isparticipating in, search results of any friend's search, and the like.

User activity tracker 236 can be configured to receive user activitycontext data 202 (e.g., as at least a portion of user-specificattributes) in connection with the activities of the user for variousventures, in at least some embodiments. User activity tracker 236 canstore user activity context data 202 in user-specific attributesrepository 242. In operation, user activity tracker 236 can analyze thecontext in which the user is reviewing, searching, selecting (and notselecting), and participating in various ventures. For example, useractivity tracker 236 can determine which recommended ventures (e.g.,generated by the recommendation generator) were ignored by the user,based on user activity context data 202. User model generator 222 canuse this information to exclude or deemphasize presentation of similarventures for recommendation purposes. Examples of other user activitycontext data 202 include:

-   -   (1) the page context data that describes the category factor        associated with any web page view by the user (so that venture        affinity predictor 220 can emphasize or enhance the prediction        of other similar bets based on user-favored categories),    -   (2) the amount of times a user viewed a bet,    -   (3) the bet subject matter for determining whether the user is a        fan of a particular subject (for example, a team or a player)        for predicting that bets about that subject matter are likely to        be preferable to the user,    -   (4) the geographic location of the user as determined, for        example, by mapping an IP address to a geographical location,    -   (5) recent actions of the user (e.g., adding a bet,        increasing/decreasing a bet amount, etc.) to discover the        temporal “mood” of the user during a period of time, and present        bets that the user currently is more interested in,    -   (6) the number of times the user has participated in bets of the        same category,    -   (7) the number of times the user has participated in similar        bets,    -   (8) the amount of money the user has wagered on a bet,    -   (9) the frequency that a user wins similar bets,    -   (10) favored outcomes that the user typically selects (e.g.,        user predominantly bets either “for” or “against” an outcome,        etc.), and the like.

Attribute manager 238 can be configured to manage the usage and/orstorage of user-specific attributes in repository 242 and globalattributes in repository 244, in at least some embodiments. Attributemanager 238 can store explicit attribute data 208 as user-specific datain user-specific attributes repository 242. In one embodiment, explicitattribute data 208 can be extracted from an electronic form into whichthe user enters user-specific information directly, or from surveys.Attribute manager 238 can also operate to manage the usage and/orstorage of global attributes 209 in repository 244. Examples of globalattributes 209 include:

-   -   (1) an amount of money in the pot for a bet,    -   (2) the number of participants who have participated in a bet,    -   (3) recent activity relating to the bet (e.g., how many bets        have been placed in the last 24 hours),    -   (4) the expiration time at which the bet will close,    -   (5) how soon the bet will resolve,    -   (6) betting volumes for a bet (e.g., rate at which units of        value flow into a pot, amounts of individuals participating),        and the like.

User model generator 222 can be configured to generate a data modelrepresenting the likes (e.g., affinity for participating in aventure/bet) and dislikes, and to store the data model in repository246. In at least some embodiments, the user model includes a dataarrangement of data (or a subset thereof) stored in repositories 240 to244, the data arrangement being well-suited for use by prediction engine224.

Prediction engine 224 can be configured to generate recommended ventures210 for delivery to a presentation engine (not shown). Prediction engine224 can be further configured to access data in repository(“venture-specific data”) 248 and repository (“prediction generationrules”) 249. Repository 248 maintains data representing bets (e.g., allbets, public or otherwise) available to one or more participants,including the user and friends of the user. Repository 249 can includeprediction generation rules that guide the prediction engine 224 inperforming the recommendation process. In at least some embodiments, theprediction generation rules cause prediction engine 224 to identify openbets (i.e., not closed) and generate a list of those bets that are open.The prediction generation rules can also cause prediction engine 224 tofilter bets on the list as a function of venture selection context data202. For example, if venture selection context data 202 indicate thatthe user has viewed or is viewing a category sub-page (e.g., one leveldown into a category, such as baseball in the sports category), thenventure recommendations can be limited to bets within the category (orsub-category).

Next, prediction engine 224 can be configured to rank the bets as afunction of the data in the user model repository 246. The predictionrules can then also cause prediction engine 224 to evaluate the ventureselection context data 202 to determine recent activity to, for example,to identify unselected recommendations for subsequent de-emphasis.According to various embodiments, the prediction generation rules cancause prediction engine 224 to perform any type of ranking or weightingto determine the most relevant recommendations to present to a user. Forexample, if the prediction rules attribute more weight to locality thanother attributes, then prediction engine 224 can evaluate the IP(Internet Protocol) address to present geographically relevantventures/bets to a user (e.g., bets relating to a local minor leagueball team in Visalia, Calif.).

FIG. 3 illustrates a presentation engine 310, according to variousembodiments of the invention. In diagram 300, presentation engine 310 isshown to include a venture consolidator 312 and a presentation manager314, and is further shown to interact with one or more datarepositories, such as data repositories 330 to 336. Venture consolidator312 can be configured to consolidate (e.g., or combine)redundant/duplicative bets stored in repository 330, such as multiple“Who will win the World Series” bets. Filtering out such bets decreasesthe number of bets that a user, for example, searches through. As shown,redundancy eliminator 312 generates a set of filtered recommendations315 and transmits them to presentation manager 314. Note that in somecases, venture consolidator 312 is optional.

Presentation manager 314 can be configured to generate user-specificventure recommendations 316 for review by a user. Presentation manager314 can be further configured to access user-specific attributes andglobal attributes in repositories 332 and 334, respectively. Then,presentation manager 314 can tune the presentation of user-specificventure recommendations 316, according to how the presentation rules inrepository 336 causes presentation manager 314 to process theattributes. In various embodiments, the presentation rules that areimplemented can vary depending on how an interface or window is to bepresented to a user. For example, for a first page (e.g., anintroductory or “dashboard” page), the presentation rules can beconfigured to cause presentation manager 314 to present recommendedventures/bets at the top of an interface. In some cases, presentationmanager 314 can also present a betting activity ticker or feed on thefirst page to display the latest activity in the network of friends forthe user. The betting activity ticker or feed can includerecommendations embedded within it. For a second page (e.g., a userprofile page), the presentation rules can be configured to causepresentation manager 314 to present a subset of the bets that the useris participated/has participated in. Presentation manager 314 can usethe attributes to determine which bets constitute the subset of venturerecommendations that are to be presented to the user.

In some embodiments, presentation manager 314 can be configured topresent user-specific venture recommendations 316 in a “mini view” oninterface 398. A “mini view” can be a portion of interface 398 in whicha bet is displayed with an identifier (e.g., a name, such as “Who willwin the World Series”) and/or photo (e.g., photo of Kobe Bryant for abasketball bet), a favored outcome (e.g., as provided by user-specificattribute data or by a user model), friend-related information, and/oran amount of value units wagered. Presentation manager 314 can beconfigured to display the bets within a particular category, and candetermine which bets to display and in which order. Presentation manager314 can be configured to order search results responsive to a searchquery. Presentation manager 314 can be configured to display other betsthat the user is likely to participate in. Presentation manager 314 canalso be configured to show recommended bets after a user has placed abet and invited friends to participate in the bet that the user made.

In some embodiments, presentation manager 314 can include a messagegenerator 390 that can be configured to transmit user-specific venturerecommendations 316 via any number of communication media, channels, ortechniques. For example, message generator 390 can transmit one or moreuser-specific venture recommendations 316 as a Short Message Service(“SMS”) message 392, an email message 394, or any other type ofelectronic message 396.

FIG. 4 is a diagram 400 illustrating a recommendation engine 402,according to various embodiments of the invention. In this example,recommendation engine 402 is shown to include servers 430 a, 430 b, and430 n that can provide structures and/or functionalities for a ventureaffinity predictor, a presentation engine, and a venture creation unit,respectively, which, in turn, can be configured to access data inrepositories 440 a, 440 b, and 440 n. In various embodiments,recommendation engine 402 can be communicatively coupled via a network410, such as the Internet or any other communications network, to anynumber of clients 420 a, 420 b, and 420 n. In at least some embodiments,clients 420 a to 420 n can respectively execute applications 422 a to422 n, which can perform part of the functionality of a venture exchangesystem. Examples of applications 422 a to 422 n include web browserapplications, mobile browser application, installed softwareapplication, mobile phone applications, or the like. In someembodiments, the clients 420 a to 420 n comprise a personal computer,laptop, mobile phone, standalone device or kiosk, or any othertechnically feasible type of computer device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram 500 depicting an interface providing a venturerecommendation panel, according to at least one embodiment of theinvention. In this example, a display 503 is configured to provide aninterface 501 that is configured to present a venture recommendationpanel 590. As used herein, the term “panel,” at least in one embodiment,can refer to displays, palettes, tabs, windows, screens, portions of aninterface, and the like. Venture recommendation panel 590 can beconfigured to include recommended bet portion 512 for at leastpresenting a recommended venture (e.g., a bet for the winner of the 2008U.S. Presidential Election). Venture recommendation panel 590 can alsobe configured to present one or more of the following: (1) aninteractive panel portion 540 configured to accept a search query toform a search, (2) a group of categorized links 560, and (3) another betportion 550 for at least presenting another recommended venture (e.g.,2008 Regular Season Kobe Bryant Assists/Game) or for indicating apending bet for a user. Venture recommendation panel 590 includes apanel title bar 504, which can indicate the name of the venture exchangesite, a menu and/or toolbar 506, which is shown to include at least menuitems 513, panel control buttons 519, and scroll bar 542. In at leastone embodiment, venture recommendation panel 590 facilitates findingbets and participating in on-line betting.

In this example, recommended bet portion 512 includes informationoriginating from various sources to describe a bet offered to a user ina manner that can influence participation. As shown, recommended betportion 512 is depicted as a shortened view (or mini view) of a bet. Amini view presents an outcome, such as outcome (“George Washington”) 516for the bet having a title 510 of “2008 US Presidential ElectionWinner.” In various embodiments, a recommendation generator candetermine an affinity (e.g., a user's affinity) for George Washington,whether in the context of previous bets or any other tangential activity(e.g., searches for George Washington, etc.), and can recommend GeorgeWashington as an outcome. Recommended bet portion 512 also includes afield 514 suggesting a unit of value (e.g., 20 units) that can beover-written with any other number of units of value. Also included isan indication of an amount (e.g., expressed as a percentage) of people(either in the pool of participants or in the sub-pool of friends, aswell as a specific individual (not shown)) that have picked the outcomepresented. As such, friend-related information can be presentedcoincident to the presentation of an outcome of a bet to provide a userwith real-time information based on select individuals' choices. Part518 of recommended bet portion 512 is shown to include “XXXXX,” whichcan be representative of the total pot. A user input 520 can beconfigured to activate participation in a bet. Part 522 of recommendedbet portion 512 is shown to include “another outcome” selection, whichcan be a link to an alternative outcome should the recommend outcome 516not be attractive to the user. Further, part 524 of recommended betportion 512 is shown to include “closes in 6 months,” which is the timeleft until the bet closes and further participation and/or betalterations are locked out.

Next, consider a case in which the user desires to search for a betbased on ordered categories 560, which can be presented in a manner asdetermined by a recommendation generator. Here, the user uses cursor 510to select the “Sports” category (note that the subsequent presentationof results can be obtained by entering “Sports” into field 540).

FIG. 6 is a diagram 600 depicting an interface providingsearch/selection results using a recommendation generator, according toat least one embodiment of the invention. In this example, an interface601 is configured to present a search/selection panel 602. As shown,search/selection panel 602 presents bets 620, 622, 624, and 626, any ofwhich the user can select for participation. Note that the ordering ofthe bets, the information presented in each of the bets 620 to 626, thetypes of bets (e.g., “How many wins . . . ,” “Who will win the WorldSeries,” etc.), and the like, can be determined based on an affinity (ora predicted affinity) that a user might have to the subject matterpresented in search/selection panel 602. A recommendation generator canevaluate user-specific attributes, group attributes, and/or globalattributes to determine that bets 620, 622, 624, and 626 are to bepresented rather than other bets (not shown). Next, consider that a userselects another outcome using a cursor 670 for bet 622.

FIG. 7 is a diagram 700 depicting an interface providing other outcomesusing a recommendation generator, according to at least one embodimentof the invention. In this example, an interface 701 is configured topresent outcomes panel 702 for event 706 titled “Who will win the WorldSeries this Season?” Also shown is the amount of time left 704 beforethe bet closes. As shown, outcomes panel 702 presents outcomes 710, 712,and 714, any of which the user can select for participation. Note thatthe ordering of the outcomes, the information presented in each of theoutcomes 710 to 714, the titles 720 of outcomes (e.g., “Toronto BlueJays” for outcome 712 etc.), the types of friend-related informationpresented at portions 722 and 724, and the like, can be determined basedon an affinity (or a predicted affinity) that a user might have to thesubject matter presented in outcomes panel 702. That is, arecommendation generator can evaluate user-specific attributes, groupattributes, and/or global attributes to determine that outcomes 710,712, and 714 and the information presented therein are to be presentedrather than other outcomes and information (not shown). Portion 726accepts inputs from the user to bet any amount of units of value. Next,consider that a user desires to create a customized event other thanshown in the search/selection results panel.

FIG. 8A is a diagram 800 depicting an interface providing selections togenerate a customized event, according to at least one embodiment of theinvention. In this example, an interface 801 is configured to present acustomized event creation panel 802. To create a customized event (orbet), a user can select a template in drop down menu 820 with which tocreate bet. For example, the user can use drop down menu 820 to clone anexisting bet for purposes of modifying it. Or, the user can use dropdown menu 820 to select a template requiring the user to create some orall aspects of a bet (e.g., titles, closing dates and times, etc.). Auser can select whether to make the customized event public or privateusing inputs 810. Here, the user selected the radio button “private.” Assuch, customized event creation panel 802 can present the user with dropdown menu 822 to select the individuals (e.g., friends) who areauthorized to access and/or participate in the customized event, therebydenying access to those external to the sub-pool.

FIG. 8B is a diagram depicting an example of a flow to create a bet,according to at least one embodiment of the invention. Persons skilledin the art will understand that, even though the method 850 is describedin conjunction with the systems of FIGs. 1-8A, any system configured toperform the method steps, in any order, is within the scope ofembodiments of the invention.

As shown, the method 850 begins at step 852, where a user describes abet. At step 854, the user adds outcomes. At step 856, the user mayoptionally take a position. At step 858, the user may invite one or morefriends to participate in the bet. In one example, an interface can beconfigured to provide for custom bet creation, such as described inpages 20 to 26 of Appendix 1. For instance, an interface, such asdepicted on page 20 of Appendix 1, can receive information thatdescribes certain attributes of a venture (or a bet). For example, theinterface can include fields for entering: (1) the title of the bet, (2)the close date (e.g., the date on which the bet closes to any newparticipants), (3) the date that the bet will be resolved, (4) whetherthe bet can be accessible (or viewable) by everyone (i.e., is it apublic bet) or whether the bet has limited access (e.g., limited accessto the friends of the user or a group of friends of the user). In otherexamples, the interface can include fields (not shown) for entering: (1)maximum amount of participants that can participate in a venture/bet,(2) a maximum number of positions a user can participate in per venture(e.g., a creator of a bet can restrict a participant to selecting amaximum of 3 outcomes of a group of outcomes), (3) a minimum amount ofunits of value to wager (e.g., per outcome or bet), (4) restricting anoutcome to only a specific number of users (e.g., an outcome can belimited to only one participant, such that after that one outcome isselected, no others can select that outcome), and the like.

FIG. 9 is a diagram 900 depicting an interface providing sub-poolparticipant information, according to at least one embodiment of theinvention. In this example, an interface 901 is configured to present asub-pool participant panel 902. As shown, portion 910 of panel 902 isconfigured to present friend information via a selection in drop downmenu 912. Consider that the user selects “Joe” as a friend havinginformation that the user wishes to review. As shown, the friend's name916 is shown as Joe, along with the bets 918 that Joe is participatingin as well as the amounts wagered 920 in the bets. Other information canbe shown responsive to selecting Joe's name in drop down menu 912.Portion 930 of panel 902 is configured present friend information inreal-time (or near real-time) as part of a stream of information, suchas a betting activity ticker or feed (shown as “bet feed”), in whichfriend-related information units 932 is present to the user. Note thatin some embodiments, a recommendation generator can evaluateuser-specific attributes, group attributes, and/or global attributes todetermine that which information units 932 are to be presented to theuser.

FIG. 10A illustrates an example of a panel presentation application forimplementing a panel that includes venture recommendations, according tovarious embodiments of the invention. In at least one embodiment,venture recommendations and/or selections can be implemented in a panel,such as a single panel. Here, application 1002 includes interface(“I/F”) module 1004, display module 1006, rendering engine 1008,repository 1010, logic module 1012, panel generator 1014, and data bus1016. In some examples, the number and type of elements shown anddescribed may be varied and are not limited to the descriptionsprovided. In some examples, the above-described elements can beimplemented as part, component, or module of application 1002. As anexample, application 1002 can be implemented to include either aweb-based form or an electronic form as part of a software product, andcan have content input field functionality as described herein. Logicmodule 1012 can be implemented as software, hardware, circuitry, or acombination thereof to implement control logic for the describedtechniques for panel presentation.

In some examples, logic module 1012 can be configured to control panelgenerator 1014 to form panels that include venture recommendations.Rendering engine 1008 can be configured to operate as a layout enginefor web pages, for example, to manipulate both content (e.g., asexpressed in or including HTML, XML, image files, etc.) and formattinginformation (e.g., as expressed in or including CSS, XSL, etc.) forrendering the data or information as one or more panels on an interface.Interface module 1004 can exchange panel presentation data, includingcontent data, image data, audio data, as well as other data, betweenapplication 1002 and another application (e.g., a host, client, webservices-based, distributed (i.e., enterprise), application programminginterface (“API”), operating system, program, procedure or others) thatcan use data and information generated from panel generator 1014 torender presented panels on a display screen. In other examples, theabove-described techniques and elements can be varied in design,implementation, and function and are not limited to the descriptionsprovided. In one embodiment, logic module 1012 can include arecommendation generator 1090 that is configured to include structureand/or functionality similar to previously-described recommendationgenerators.

FIG. 10B illustrates an alternative example of a panel presentationapplication for implementing a panel that includes venturerecommendations, according to one embodiment of the invention. Here,application 1020 includes panel generator 1022 and logic module 1024,which can have equivalent functionality as 1012 of FIG. 10A. Further,application 1020 is shown in data communication with interface (“I/F”)module 1026, display module 1028, rendering engine 1030, and repository1032. Data bus 1034 can be configured to send or receive data amongapplication 1020, I/F module 1026, display module 1028, rendering engine1030, and repository 1032. In other examples, more, fewer or differentelements can be used and implemented without limitation to the examplesprovided above.

In some examples, logic module 1024 and panel generator 1022 can beimplemented as part of application 1020, which can be implementedseparately from other functional components or modules, such asinterface module 1026, display module 1028, rendering module 1030, andrepository 1032. Data bus 1034 can be implemented to communicate dataover a given port between application 1020 and interface module 1026,display module 1028, rendering module 1030, and repository 1032. Inother words, application 1020 can be implemented as a standaloneapplication or as a component (i.e., module) of another application.Data or information associated with a panel can be stored in repository1032, which can be implemented using a database, data store, datawarehouse, or any other type of data repository or structure. In otherexamples, more, fewer, or different modules can be used to implement thedescribed techniques for panel presentation and are not limited to thoseprovided.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary computer system suitable forimplementing an interactive panel for an interface to provide venturerecommendations, according to at least one embodiment of the invention.In some examples, computer system 1100 can be used to implement computerprograms, applications, methods, processes, or other software to performthe above-described techniques and to realize the structures describedherein. Computer system 1100 includes a bus 1102 or other communicationmechanism for communicating information, which interconnects subsystemsand devices, such as processor 1104, system memory (“memory”) 1106,storage device 1108 (e.g., ROM), disk drive 1110 (e.g., magnetic oroptical), communication interface 1112 (e.g., modem or Ethernet card),display 1114 (e.g., CRT or LCD), input device 1116 (e.g., keyboard), andpointer cursor control 1118 (e.g., mouse or trackball). In oneembodiment, pointer cursor control 1118 invokes one or more specializedcommands that, at least in part, facilitate participation in a bet.Pointer cursor control 1118 can interact via a pointer cursor with apanel to select a bet.

According to some examples, computer system 1100 performs specificoperations in which processor 1104 executes one or more sequences of oneor more instructions stored in system memory 1106. Such instructions canbe read into system memory 1106 from another computer-readable medium,such as static storage device 1108 or disk drive 1110. In some examples,hard-wired circuitry can be used in place of or in combination withsoftware instructions for implementation. In the example shown, systemmemory 1106 includes modules of executable instructions for implementingan operation system (“O/S”) 1132, an application 1136, and arecommendation generator 1138.

In some examples, execution of the sequences of instructions can beperformed by a single computer system 1100. According to some examples,two or more computer systems 1100 coupled by communication link 1120(e.g., LAN, PSTN, or wireless network) can perform the sequence ofinstructions in coordination with one another. Computer system 1100 cantransmit and receive messages, data, and instructions, including programcode (i.e., application code) through communication link 1120 andcommunication interface 1112. Received program code can be executed byprocessor 1104 as it is received, and/or stored in disk drive 1110, orother non-volatile storage for later execution. In one embodiment,system 1100 is implemented as a hand-held device, such as a mobile phone1150. But in other embodiments, system 1100 can be implemented as apersonal computer, laptop, mobile phone, standalone device or kiosk, orany other technically feasible type of computing device.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a panel presentation system forrecommending ventures, according to various embodiments of theinvention. Here, system 1200 includes network 1202, display environment1204, interface 1206, which can be presented on devices such as computer1208, notebook computer (“notebook” or “laptop”) 1210, smart phone 1212,personal digital assistant (“PDA”) 1214, server 1216, administratorcomputer 1218, and/or standalone device or kiosk (not shown). In otherexamples, the number and type of devices can be varied and are notlimited to those shown and described.

In some examples, one or more panels for creating electronic documentscan be presented on interface 1206, which can be an interface for anapplication such as a web browsing program, Internet content portal,client or desktop application for any purpose. Interface 1206, in someembodiments, can include Uls for stand-alone video players, including aDVD-player UI. Panels can be used to provide additional or supplementalinformation that can be contextually relevant to another panel presentedin interface 1206. Computer 1208, notebook computer (“notebook” or“laptop”) 1210, smart phone 1212, personal digital assistant (“PDA”)1214, server 1216, and administrator computer 1218 can provide contentdata for rendering content as well as other data, which can beimplemented to generate, for example, an electronic form and contentinput field in interface 1206. In some cases, an operating systeminstalled on computer 1208 can communicate (i.e., via an applicationprogramming interface (“API”)) content data and/or other related data toanother application installed on computer 1208 to render (i.e.,interpreting data and information to draw or display the content in aninterface) one or more panels presented in interface 1206. In someexamples, different types of panels can be rendered in interface 1206.In one embodiment, interface 1206 can include any number and/or any typeof display environments, such as CRT and LCD displays. Note that theabove-described system and elements can be varied and are not limited tothe descriptions or examples provided.

FIG. 13 illustrates a system 1300 for inviting friends to a bet,according to at least one embodiment of the invention. As shown, thesystem 1300 includes a venture exchange 1302, a user 1308, and friends1310, 1312. The venture exchange 1302 includes a recommendation engine1304 and an invitation engine 1302. In one embodiment, therecommendation engine 1304 is substantially similar to therecommendation generator 150 described in FIG. 1. In some embodiments,the friends 1310, 1312 are related to the user 1308 in a social networkcontext, i.e., the user 1308 is a “friend” of friend 1310 and friend1312.

In some embodiments, the user 1308 places a wager with the ventureexchange. According to various embodiments, the wager may be placed viaa web browser on a personal computer or laptop, a software applicationinstalled on a personal computer or laptop, a mobile browser on a mobilephone, a mobile application installed on a mobile phone, a standalonedevice or kiosk, or via any technically feasible implementation of theventure exchange. The recommendation engine 1304 receives the wager andparses the wager into wager characteristics. Some examples of wagercharacteristics include, but are not limited to, a bet history of theuser 1308, the social network for the user 1308, the geographicallocation of the user 1308, the age of the user 1308, the gender of theuser 1308, other members of the social network of the user 1308 that areaffiliated with the same group of users (e.g., people that work in thesame office as the user 1308, or went to the same university as the user1308), user preferences (e.g., teams of which the user 1308 hasindicated as being a fan), the bet history of friends of the user 1308,and the like. Based on the wager characteristics, the recommendationengine 104 may determine which friends of the user 1308 are likely tohave an affinity for the same wager, i.e., which friends would beinterested in placing a bet on this wager.

After placing the wager, an interface may be displayed to the user thatallows the user 1308 to invite friends to the wager. Such an interfacemay be termed a “friend picker.” In some embodiments, the friends of theuser 1308 may be presented to the user in the interface sorted byaffinity to the wager. For example, based on the results of therecommendation engine 1304, the friends may be sorted so that friendswith the greatest affinity for the wager are placed near the top of theinterface. In another embodiment, the friends may be organized intogroups based on affinity to the wager. For example, the groups mayinclude (i) “Friends likely to be interested in the wager,” (ii)“Friends likely to be disinterested in the wager,” or (iii) “Friendsthat are indifferent to the wager.”

The user 1308 may then select which friends to invite to the wager.Based on the selection, the invitation engine 1306 transmits aninvitation to the selected friends. In some embodiments, the invitationis transmitted by the invitation engine 1306 via email to the selectedfriends. In other embodiments, the invitation is transmitted via SMS(Short Message Service), fax, postal mail, or via any other technicallyfeasible manner. In other embodiments, the invitation may be transmittedvia mobile messaging. For example, in embodiments where the ventureexchange is implemented, in part, as a mobile application on a mobilephone (e.g., an iPhone® app), the invitation may be sent to the mobileapplication via mobile messaging, separate from SMS or mobile browsing.In some examples, the invitation may be a push notification received bythe mobile application. In other embodiments, the invitation may betransmitted via a third-party website or service. For example, theinvitation may be transmitted as a notification via a social networkingsite, such as Twitter or Facebook. The invitation includes a descriptionof the bet and the options offered on which to wager. The invitation mayalso include an indication of which user has invited the friend to thebet, how that user wager (e.g., which side did the inviting friendtake), who else was invited to the wager, or any other technicallyfeasible information. The user 1308 that invited friends to the bet mayalso have access to an interface that tracks which invited friends haveviewed the invitation, which invited friends have wagered, and what sidedid they take.

In some embodiments, the recommendation engine 1304 may include logicthat recommends, to the friends that receive the invitation, which sideto take in the wager. For example, the recommendation engine 1304 mayrecommend for friend 1310 to take one side of the wager, but mayrecommend for friend 1312 to take the opposite side. Factors that therecommendation engine 1304 may consider when recommending a side for theinvited friend to take may include prior bet history of the friend,demographics, geographical location, age, gender, favorite teams, or anyother factors.

In further embodiments, the recommendation engine 1304 may present theinvitation to the invited friends in one of several different views ormedia based on the various characteristics or settings. For example, theinvitation to friend 1310 may be sent via email, whereas the invitationto friend 1312 may be sent via SMS. In another example, the invitationto friend 1310 may include a recommendation for a side to take, whereasthe invitation to friend 1312 may not include a recommendation for aside to take. In yet another example, the interface or display thatembodies the invitation may be different for different recipients of theinvitation. Again, any number of different characteristics or settingsmay be taken into account by the recommendation engine 1304 and/orinvitation engine 1306 when delivering the invitation to the selectedfriends.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of method steps for inviting friends to awager, according to at least one embodiment of the invention. Personsskilled in the art will understand that, even though the method 1400 isdescribed in conjunction with the systems of FIGS. 1-8A and 9-13, anysystem configured to perform the method steps, in any order, is withinthe scope of embodiments of the invention.

As shown, the method 1400 begins as step 1402, where a venture exchangereceives a wager placed by a first user. The wager can be any type ofwager, including a straight wager, a paramutual (or pool-based) wager, aparlay wager, or any other type of wager. In some embodiments, the wageris placed after the user has logged-in to a website operated by theventure exchange to place the wager. In other embodiments, the wager maybe placed via a mobile phone or a standalone device or kiosk.

At step 1404, the venture exchange parses the wager to determine wagercharacteristics of the wager. Some examples of wager characteristicsinclude, but are not limited to, a bet history of the user, the socialnetwork for the user, the geographical location of the user, the age ofthe user, the gender of the user, other members of the social network ofthe user that are affiliated with the same group of users (e.g., peoplethat work in the same office as the user, or went to the same universityas the user), user preferences (e.g., teams of which the user hasindicated as being a fan), the bet history of friends of the user, andthe like. In reference to FIG. 1, the wager characteristics may alsoinclude the global attributes 115, the group attributes 114, theuser-specific attributes 128, and/or the venture creation factors 112.

At step 1406, the venture exchange determines which friends of the firstuser have an affinity for the wager based on the wager characteristics.In one embodiment, the recommendation generator 150 shown in FIG. 1performs step 1406. At step 1408, the venture exchange displays to thefirst user a wager invitation interface, where friends of the first userare sorted based on relative affinity for the wager. In someembodiments, the presentation engine 154 is configured to generate theinterface displayed to the first user. For example, the friends of theuser in a social network that have the greatest affinity for the wagermay be placed at the top of the interface, and friends that have thelowest affinity for the wager may be placed at the bottom of theinterface. In other embodiments, the friends may be organized in groups.The groups may include (i) “Friends likely to be interested in thewager,” (ii) “Friends likely to be disinterested in the wager,” or (iii)“Friends that are indifferent to the wager.”

At step 1410, the venture exchange receives a selection from the firstuser of friends to invite to the wager. For example, the first user mayclick on or otherwise select which users to invite to participate in thewager.

At step 1412, the venture exchange transmits a wager invitation to eachof the selected friends. In one embodiment, the invitation engine 1306in FIG. 13 is configured to generate the wager invitation and transmitthe wager invitation to the appropriate friends. As described above,embodiments of the invention provide wager invitations that aretransmitted via email, SMS, fax, postal mail, mobile messaging,third-party application or service, or any other technically feasiblemedium. In addition, in some embodiments, different wager invitationsmay be transmitted based on various characteristics of the wager and/orsettings.

Advantageously, embodiments of the invention allow a user to quickly andeasily select which users to invite to participate in the wager. Sincethe friends are organized by affinity to participate in the wager, theuser can more readily determine whom to invite. Embodiments of theinvention are especially useful when the user has many friends (e.g.,over 500 friends). Another advantage is that inviting other users toparticipate in a wager drives traffic to the venture exchange, allowingthe venture exchange to generate more revenue.

Various embodiments of the invention may be implemented as a programproduct for use with a computer system. The program(s) of the programproduct define functions of the embodiments (including the methodsdescribed herein) and can be contained on a variety of computer-readablestorage media. Illustrative computer-readable storage media include, butare not limited to: (i) non-writable storage media (e.g., read-onlymemory devices within a computer such as CD-ROM disks readable by aCD-ROM drive, flash memory, ROM chips or any type of solid-statenon-volatile semiconductor memory) on which information is permanentlystored; and (ii) writable storage media (e.g., floppy disks within adiskette drive or hard-disk drive or any type of solid-staterandom-access semiconductor memory) on which alterable information isstored.

In at least some of the embodiments of the invention, the structuresand/or functions of any of the above-described interfaces and panels canbe implemented in software, hardware, firmware, circuitry, or acombination thereof. Note that the structures and constituent elementsshown herein, as well as their functionality, can be aggregated with oneor more other structures or elements. Alternatively, the elements andtheir functionality can be subdivided into constituent sub-elements, ifany. As software, the above-described described techniques can beimplemented using various types of programming or formatting languages,frameworks, syntax, applications, protocols, objects, or techniques,including C, Objective C, C++, C#, Flex™, Fireworks®, Java™,Javascript™, AJAX, COBOL, Fortran, ADA, XML, HTML, DHTML, XHTML, HTTP,XMPP, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, and others, such as MySQL. These can bevaried and are not limited to the examples or descriptions provided.

The various embodiments of the invention can be implemented in numerousways, including as a system, a process, an apparatus, or a series ofprogram instructions on a computer-readable medium such as acomputer-readable storage medium or a computer network where the programinstructions are sent over optical or electronic communication links. Ingeneral, the steps of disclosed processes can be performed in anarbitrary order, unless otherwise provided in the claims.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, uses specificnomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention.However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specificdetails are not required in order to practice the invention. In fact,this description should not be read to limit any feature or aspect ofthe present invention to any embodiment; rather features and aspects ofone embodiment can readily be interchanged with other embodiments.Notably, not every benefit described herein need be realized by eachembodiment of the present invention; rather any specific embodiment canprovide one or more of the advantages discussed above. In the claims,elements and/or operations do not imply any particular order ofoperation, unless explicitly stated in the claims. It is intended thatthe following claims and their equivalents define the scope of theinvention.

1. A computer-implemented method for inviting members of a ventureexchange to participate in a wager, comprising: receiving a wager placedby a first user; parsing the wager to determine wager characteristicsassociated with the wager; determining, using a processor, friends ofthe first user that have an affinity for the wager based on the wagercharacteristics; causing an interface to be displayed to the first user,wherein the friends of the first user are organized by a relativeaffinity for the wager; receiving a selection by the first user offriends to invite to participate in the wager; and transmitting a wagerinvitation to each friend selected by the first user.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the wager characteristics include at least one of a bethistory of the first user, a geographical location of the first user, anage of the first user, a gender of the first user, preferences of thefirst user, and a bet history of friends of the first user.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising the step of sorting all of thefriends of the first user based on the relative affinity for the wager,wherein the friends of the first user are presented to the first user inthe interface based on results of the sorting.
 4. The method of claim 1,further comprising the step of grouping the friends of the first userinto groups based on the relative affinity for the wager.
 5. The methodof claim 1, wherein the wager invitation is transmitted via email, SMS(Short Message Service), fax, or postal mail.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the wager is placed by the first user via mobile browser on amobile phone.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wager is placed viaa standalone device or kiosk.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein thewager invitation is transmitted via mobile messaging to an applicationinstalled on a mobile phone.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wagerinvitation is transmitted via a third-party website or service.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the wager invitation includes a descriptionof the wager including different betting options available.
 11. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the wager invitation further includes arecommendation of which betting option the friend should select based onone or more characteristics of the friend.
 12. The method of claim 10,wherein the wager invitation further includes information that indicateswhich betting option the first user selected when placing the wager. 13.A computer-implemented method for providing an interface through which afirst user invites other members of a venture exchange to participate ina wager, comprising: displaying an interface to the first user, whereinfriends of the first user are organized by a relative affinity for thewager based on one or more wager characteristics; and receiving aselection of one or more friends to invite to participate in the wager,to cause a wager invitation to be transmitted to each of the one or morefriends.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the wager characteristicsinclude at least one of a bet history of the first user, a geographicallocation of the first user, an age of the first user, a gender of thefirst user, preferences of the first user, and a bet history of friendsof the first user.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the friends aredisplayed in a ranked order in the interface based on the relativeaffinity for the wager.
 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the friendsare displayed in groups in the interface based on the relative affinityfor the wager.
 17. The method of claim 13, wherein the wager invitationis transmitted via email or SMS (Short Message Service).
 18. The methodof claim 13, wherein the wager invitation includes a description of thewager including different betting options available.
 19. The method ofclaim 18, wherein the wager invitation further includes a recommendationof a betting option for the friend to select based on one or morecharacteristics of the friend.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein thewager invitation further includes information that indicates whichbetting option was selected by the first user that placed the wager.